It's official. Almost three months before the elections, Italy has a new government. The Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, e the 18 ministers of his Executive they swore at the Quirinale in the hands of Sergio Mattarella.
The first to swear was, according to tradition, the Prime Minister Conte, followed by Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Luigi Di Maio, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Economic Development and by the heads of the other departments. Everyone recited the ritual formula: "I swear to be faithful to the Republic, to loyally observe its Constitution and laws and to exercise my functions in the exclusive interest of the nation"
Here the #GovernmentOfChange
Follow the live: https://t.co/FeGLrCpuHx pic.twitter.com/G90naNhrJw— Luigi Di Maio (@luigidimaio) 1 June 2018
But, after the vicissitudes of the last few days and the almost shipwreck of the political government, what attracted everyone's attention was above all thehandshake between Paolo Savona, new minister of European affairs, and Mattarella, who opposed his appointment to the Economy. "Thank you president," says Savona before walking away to return to his seat.
The oath definitively archives eighty-eight days of political crisis, which then transformed into an institutional and financial one, in which we have seen everything and the opposite of everything: from the request for impeachment against the President of the Republic to the soaring spread. From today, however, Italy has once again a government in the fullness of its powers.
"Any risk of civil regression must be firmly stopped in this Italy of ours and in this Europe of ours, affirming a custom of mutual respect, making use of the great resources of generosity and dynamism of our fellow citizens". These are the words written by the Head of State in a message sent to the prefects on the eve of Republic Day. Mattarella, however, warned: "Tension and trials find full scope for expression and settlement within the framework of republican institutions, in a united and supportive nation".
In the morning, during an interview with some workers gathered in protest in front of Montecitorio, the new prime minister tried to calm things down: "You have to trust them,” he said. “Great strength, great enthusiasm and determination we want to work in the interest of the Italian country we will try to do our best. The country needs trust, it needs the conditions to be created for everyone to be proud of this country”. Then, responding to journalists who asked him if the government was born weak, Conte replied: "We will demonstrate with facts that it is not".
The Conte government will now have to gain confidence in Parliament, even if, based on the numbers on which the majority can count, the vote appears obvious. The appointment should be held next week, between Tuesday and Wednesday.
